Mi Corazon
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: So keep breathing cause I'm not leaving you anymore. Believe it, hold onto me and never let me go.


My first attempt at a full-length OUAT story. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

* * *

A week.

Rumpel had been gone for a week now, searching for his grandson with the Charming family. True to her word, Belle followed every word on the scroll Rumpel had given her, allowing her to cast a protective shield over the town of Storybrooke and its inhabitants. They were all safe, at least for the moment.

She struggled every day he was gone, every minute, every second. She'd had him back for an hour before he left. An hour. It wasn't nearly enough.

Two weeks after he was gone, Belle started to feel unwell. She spent her days in the library and her nights in Rumpel's home, their home. The home she never should have left. She slept in his bed and wore his dress shirt, surrounding herself with his scent. She had spent months as another woman, and both sets of memories contended for space in her mind. Lacey was her exact opposite, a woman who used her body to get what she wanted. She couldn't be mad at Rumpel for falling for her, not when Lacey looked and sounded just like Belle. She forgave him for that. What she couldn't forgive was him leaving her all alone.

What she didn't know was she wasn't alone.

* * *

In Neverland, Rumpelstiltskin searched high and low with the Charmings and Hook to find young Henry. When they found no trace of him, they moved on to the next universe. Each day he was apart from Belle his heart hurt more and more, but he couldn't stop looking. He had failed Bae.

He wouldn't fail him again.

* * *

Three months after Rumpel left, Belle finally understood why she hadn't felt right. She withdrew from everyone in the town except for Ruby, but she continued to run the library. At first people tried reaching out to her, but she wouldn't let them. Eventually they all gave up and left her alone, to her relief. She didn't need their insincere looks of empathy and hollow, comforting words.

She needed Rumpel.

* * *

By the time they caught up with Neil's ex-fiance and her cohort, Rumpelstiltskin was out of his mind with rage. He destroyed them both, but as he had warned so many others, all magic came with a price. The attack left him weak and defenseless, but Henry was back with his mother and all was right with them again. It made it all worth it.

He lost consciousness quickly, unaware of Charming and Hook easily lifting and carrying him back to the Jolly Roger.

* * *

Grateful to have Henry back in her arms, Emma looked at Rumpelstiltskin's unconscious form.

"Is Grandpa gonna be okay, Mom?" Henry asked softly, clinging to her waist.

Regina knelt down beside Rumpelstiltskin and began looking him over. "Emma, take Henry out of here."

"Come on, kid." The blond wrapped her arm around her son's shoulders and guided him out.

Charming and Snow stayed with Regina. "How is he?" Snow asked her stepmother softly.

"Not well," Regina replied, moving her hand slowly over Rumpelstiltskin's chest, hovering just a few inches over him. "We should go back to Storybrooke as soon as possible."

"I'll tell Hook," Charming volunteered, jogging out to find the grizzled pirate.

Snow looked at Henry's grandfather and felt a wave of remorse and gratitude. There was no guarantee they would get back to Storybrooke in time to save the imp's life.

_The boy will be your undoing_.

"Hang on, Rumpel," she murmured.

* * *

Close to a year had passed in Storybrooke since Belle had last seen Rumpel. Time moved so much faster in this land than it did in their fairytale world, and it was unnerving to Belle.

She was just crossing the street to go to the library when she heard a familiar voice shout her name.

"Belle!"

Ruby came running down the street, her dark hair flying wildly behind her.

"Ruby? What is it?"

Ruby slammed to a stop in front of her friend. "They're back," she managed breathlessly. "They're back."

For a moment, Belle wasn't sure what Ruby meant. "What?"

"Emma, Snow, Charming, Gold! I saw the Jolly Roger pulling in!"

Before Ruby could get anything else out, Belle brushed past her and stared into the distance, in the direction of the port. Ruby was right.

There, in the distance, she could make out the mast of the Jolly Roger.

Rumpel was finally home.

To Be Continued...


End file.
